


Endure

by yayasoba



Series: Magi [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Action, Friendship, Gen, Other, does anyone know anything?, that's what we call irony, the answer is no, we got an andrastrian qunari and an agnostic human
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-04-18 17:31:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4714424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yayasoba/pseuds/yayasoba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are only two survivors of the explosion at the Conclave and the Inquisition wants answers from them.<br/>Neither Trevelyan nor Adaar can give them any.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

Ketket groaned as she cracked open her eyes. Her head was heavy and hurt worse than that time Anaan accidentally hit her over the head with Father’s broadsword. Slowly, she tried to sit up, but quickly realized she was bound to the bed. Too weak to fight them, she sank her head back down and tried to piece together some semblance of thoughts.

She remembered the snow… and entering the Conclave… but that was it. Whatever had happened after that was gone. How she had ended up tied to the bed was a mystery, but one she was determined to figure out as quickly as possible.

For the moment, though, her head hurt too much to do anything else but wait and pray someone came by soon.

Thankfully, not too long passed before the door opened. If she had been expecting anyone, it wasn’t several heavily armored guards, all with swords drawn. Ketket was used to some hostility because of her race, but this much was untoward. The soldiers each grabbed a limb, while the fifth one untied the ropes one at a time. She was so shocked, she didn’t even think about fighting back, so they had little trouble tying her hands in front of her and forcing her to stand up. Her knees buckled as she became lightheaded and dizzy and she quickly fell back on the bed.

The soldiers were not sympathetic at all, and quickly forced her on her feet again. This time, her head remained - relatively - stable and she managed to stumble forward when pushed. They shoved a bag over her head and steered her out the door and into the cold.

Eventually, she heard creaking and the temperature warmed a bit. They guided her down a few steps, and then pushed her down so that she fell on her knees onto hard, cold stone. She heard footsteps and the sounds of more swords being withdrawn. Did she really seem that threatening? She could barely keep her head upright!

The bag was pulled roughly off her head and she looked around her new surroundings. She was now in a dungeon of sorts, but all cells were empty. She was in the middle of the room, surrounded by no fewer than six guards (that she could see).

A blinding pain erupted from her left palm, and she nearly cried out before it passed a moment later. She looked down to see some sort of glow coming from her left hand; it was an eerie, sickly sort of green, not like the warm, soothing green of her healing magic. It too faded as the pain did, and she was wondering if she imagined it.

Her whole body ached and she wished she could move, but the fear of being stabbed by one of the guards kept her still and quiet. She knew how distrustful humans were of qunari in general, and these circumstances made her even more determined to keep on their good side.

There was a banging outside the main door before it shot open, revealing a very angry-looking woman.

 _Maker save me_ , she prayed when she saw the huge sword and shield the woman carried. Behind her followed a smaller woman in unusual chainmail armor. Ketket eyed them warily, wondering if they would finally explain what was going on.

“Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now,” she said. “The Conclave was destroyed in that blast. Everyone who was there is dead, except for you.”

Ketket’s eyes widened. “Wait, what blast? What happened?”

“Don’t play me for a fool,” the woman growled. “You were there! We’ve seen that mark on your hand.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she protested. “The last thing I remember is walking into the Conclave itself. Then I woke up. That’s it, I swear!”

The woman snarled. “You’re lying.”

The other woman stopped her before she could get too close to Ketket. “Cassandra, we need her.”

“Can you please tell me what’s going on?” she asked. “What explosion? Who died?”

“There was some sort of blast at the Conclave,” the second woman said. “We thought it killed everyone, until a few days ago when you stepped out of the Fade. You and one of the mages. We’ve been trying to revive you both ever since, trying to get some answers. You were the first to awaken.”

“Who is the other survivor?” Ketket asked.

“We don’t know her name,” the redheaded woman said.

“Is everyone else really dead?” Ketket breathed in deeply, trying to keep her grief at bay. Now was not the time to mourn; she could later, if she managed to get out of this alive.

“Yes.”

All the guys,  _her_  guys. Dead. “All those people… gone?” She couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to believe it. “Look, I can’t tell you what happened or how I got this… thing.” She gestured with her marked hand. “But whatever happened, I want to help.”

“Can you try to remember? Anything might help,” the redhead asked.

Ketket racked her brains. “I was… running. Someone was with me. They… tripped? There was fire at some point. And there was another woman, I think. That’s all I can remember.”

The two women exchanged a glance. “Go see if the other prisoner is awake, Leliana,” Cassandra said. “If she cooperates, take her with you. We’ll meet you in the forward camp.”

Leliana nodded before turning on her heel and marching out. The other woman walked over to Ketket and unshackled her. She took a length of rope and knotted her hands together tightly, then forced her upright. Thankfully, Ketket’s head was calmer, and she could stand without sagging.

“What’s happening that has everyone in a panic?” Ketket asked.

Cassandra sighed. “It will be easier to show you.”


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trevelyan wakes up and meets everyone.

Natalia felt like a thousand bears were clawing at her head… and pretty much every other part of her body as well. “Ugh,” she groaned. Slowly, her eyes cracked open and she hissed at the light. “Maker…”

The door burst open, startling her into more awareness. A redheaded woman marched in, a few armed guards flanking her.

“What’s goin’ on?” she asked, her defenses raised. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?” the woman asked.

“Remember what?” Natalia asked. “What happened to the Conclave? Why am I back in Haven?”

“There was an explosion,” the woman explained. “Only you and one of the mercenaries survived. The Conclave was destroyed.”

“So what’s going on?” Natalia quirked an eyebrow. “What do you want with me?”

“I’ll explain on the way,” the woman said.

“On the way to where - hey!” Natalia screeched as two of the guards came forward, cut off the ropes that were binding her hands to the bed, then bound them in new rope before she could even think of escaping. “What the bloody hell are you doing?”

“You were one of the only survivors, and thus one of the only suspects that we have. We can’t take any chances. The town is calling for your death; the least we can do is play along long enough to get you out of here.”

“And if I choose not to play along?” Natalia argued.

“You’ll probably find a mob of angry townspeople waiting outside the door, ready to tear you apart. If you come with me, you might survive tonight.”

Natalia huffed, considering her choices. They weren’t fantastic. But if what the woman said was true, her chances at living were significantly better with her. And, should she decide she had enough, she could always burn through the rope and escape.

“All right,” she agreed with a sigh. “Have it your way.”

“Good,” the woman said with a dry smile.

“What do I call you?” Natalia asked.

“Leliana will suffice,” she said. “And you?”

“Natalia. Now could you tell me what’s going on?” she asked as they left the hut. Leliana was right, there was a crowd calling for her death as they left, walking towards the treeline.

Leliana explained about an explosion at the Conclave and how nearly everyone died, except for the two mysterious survivors that stepped out of the Fade a few days later. Natalia quickly saw what was causing her so much pain: a bloody rift in the sky. Occasionally it pulsed, her hand throbbing with it. When it flared, she fell down, the pain so intense she could barely breathe.

Leliana knelt down next to her as the waves subsided and her mark faded again. “Can you stand?”

Natalia quickly stood up. “I’m fine,” she said brusquely.

“Come on, we have to get to the forward camp,” Leliana said, guiding the way through the treeline. Natalia stumbled on behind her, her aching body and tied hands making running difficult. However, she wouldn’t dare ask Leliana to untie her. She didn’t want to risk the woman’s anger.

Natalia saw demons pass by them and she forced the bile back down her throat. The guards flanking them broke off at various points, stopping the demons from following them. Eventually, it was only Leliana and Natalia left. Another flare from the rift brought Natalia to her knees once again.

Leliana was about to help her on her feet, but she pushed herself up before she could be helped. The woman took out a knife and Natalia brought up her hands, ready to freeze the woman’s arm. Leliana put her hands up.

“I was going to untie your hands, so that you could defend yourself if we’re attacked.”

“You’re not worried I’ll run away?” Natalia asked.

“That mark is killing you,” Leliana argued. “It’s probably in your best interest to help us seal the rift. You’ll at least live long enough for a trial.”

“How comforting,” she replied dryly, but could see Leliana’s point. She sighed. “Fine.” She held out her hands and Leliana cut the rope.

“Let’s keep moving,” she said, jogging further up the hill. Natalia followed close behind her.

They passed by more demons, but Leliana maneuvered them so that they avoided detection. Eventually, they managed to make it to what Natalia assumed was the forward camp. Leliana strode confidently through, nodding to a few of the soldiers. Natalia tried to keep herself out of everyone’s direct line of sight. She had no idea if anyone here would try to finish what the Haven townspeople intended to start, and she didn’t want to find out. Other than the occasional glare, however, no one bothered with her.

“Sister Nightingale, what are you doing with one of the prisoners? Why is she not tied up?” Natalia’s head shot to a Chantry brother who was yelling at Leliana. _Sister Nightingale? The Left Hand of the Divine? Andraste’s flaming tits…_

“Cassandra is bringing the other prisoner. We need to seal the rifts and we’re hoping they’ll be able to do something about it.”

“They need to be taken to Val Royeaux for trial!”

Natalia’s mark flared, but the pain was manageable. She gritted her teeth and glared at the Chantry brother. “I can’t speak for the other prisoner, but I won’t survive your bloody trial if something isn’t done about that thing!” She gestured up to the rift. “Personally, I enjoy living, so if you have a plan, I’ll do what I can to help.”

Leliana nodded appreciatively. “Once the other prisoner is here, we’ll work with Cassandra to come up with a plan.”

The brother was about to say something (probably argue), when there was shouting from the gates. Natalia turned to see an elf, a human, a dwarf, and a qunari sprinting towards them.

“Cassandra, what can you tell us?” Leliana asked.

So the human must be Cassandra; Natalia could see her Seeker armor. She recognized the name and realized she must be the Right Hand of the Divine. _Andraste’s saggy ass cheek, how’d I manage to get mixed up in this one?_

Natalia looked at the others and realized she knew one of them: the qunari. It was the same one who had interceded between her and the Templars, the mercenary one. She was at the Conclave as well, so… she must have been the other prisoner. A faint spark of green coming from the qunari’s hand confirmed her suspicions.

“The prisoner’s mark can close the rifts, as Solas found out,” Cassandra told Leliana.

“And here’s the other one,” an elf said, nodding to Natalia. He turned to Cassandra. “I believe that with two marks, we might be able to successfully close the rift. They will undoubtedly be stronger, in any case, and are our best chance at closing it.”

“So if you get us to that thing, all we have to do is close it?” Natalia asked. She shrugged. “Sounds simple enough.”

“It won’t be that easy,” the qunari (what was her name? Ket… Ketosa? Ketoa?) said. “The fade rifts all had some demons spawning out of them; that one will probably have something huge.”

“Well, we won’t accomplish anything if we don’t start moving,” the dwarf interjected. “So, what’s the plan, Seeker?”

Cassandra considered the rift. “If we go with our soldiers, we should be able to clear a path towards the rift. It’s the most direct route.”

“But hardly the safest,” Leliana argued. “If we have some of our soldiers provide a distraction, we can go through the mountain pass.”

“We lost an entire patrol on that mountain,” Cassandra shot back.

As the rift flared again, the women turned to Ketoja (that sounded right). “How do you think we should proceed?” Cassandra asked.

“You’re asking me?” Ketoja asked, disbelieving.

“We cannot agree, and you are the ones who we need to survive to finish the rift,” she replied.

Ketoja looked at Natalia. “By that logic, your opinion also matters.”

She shrugged. “Look, I just want this bloody thing to stop hurting. If you really want my opinion, take the mountain path. You need us alive and our best chance at survival is through there. Either way, I need a staff. Even I’m not stupid enough to battle a horde of demons weaponless.”

“Arming a criminal? Are you mad?” the brother argued. Natalia glared at him.

“As the world has just gone to shit,” the dwarf interjected. “I think arming one of the few people that might be able to fix it isn’t such a bad idea, Chancellor. After all, we armed the other one already.”

Natalia decided she liked the dwarf.

It took a bit of rummaging, but eventually they managed to find a charred staff that had been rescued from the wreckage at the Conclave. It was barely passable, but it would allow Natalia to shoot ice while she recovered her mana. The chancellor looked like he was about to have a conniption, but his arguments fell on deaf ears.

Cassandra, Ketoja, and Leliana debated quietly while Natalia, Solas, and Varric helped locate a staff (they had made introductions during the search). The three returned to the table the others were standing over.

“I hope you came up with a plan,” Natalia said.

“We’re going to use the mountain path,” Cassandra said. Natalia could tell the woman was not very pleased at having been outvoted.

She gave a curt nod, falling into step behind Cassandra and Solas as they marched toward the path.

“May the consequences fall on all your heads,” the Chancellor spat behind them.

_And may a demon fall on yours_ , Natalia thought.


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Breach is dealt with.

No one had warned her it’d be so many bloody _ladders_. Natalia knew it was better than climbing rocks and she normally didn’t mind heights, but her head was still in poor shape. She clung to the ladder with what strength she could muster. She was determined to close that rift, and that determination was probably all that was keeping her hands firmly gripping the ladder rungs.

She was in the middle of their group, Cassandra and Solas taking the front. With each climb, she prayed it would be the last ladder. Finally, she heard Cassandra’s shoes crunch on snow instead of pounding against wood.

“Thank the Maker,” she breathed.

Solas helped her up the last rung. She followed Cassandra’s footprints, cursing as she broke over the crest of the hill.

Demons. Demons everywhere. And a rift in the center of it.

“Little help over here!” Natalia shouted as she shot ice at a wisp. She brought up an ice wall as several of them decided to aim magic blasts at her simultaneously. Ducking around it, she aimed icy wind that blasted three of them away. Looking around, she saw Cassandra battling a rage demon. Natalia froze it in place, cooling the molten exterior of the demon. Cassandra took advantage of the spell and easily shattered it into pieces.

A spirit bolt shot over Natalia’s head and she saw Solas, Varric, and Ketoja running up to help.

“Took you long enough!” she yelled to them, before jumping back into action. With a staff, she remembered the fighting pattern she had created a few years ago, allowing for a seamless transition between blasts from her staff.

Eventually they managed to clear the demons away, and Ketoja shot a bolt from her hand to the rift. The magic matched what was coming out, so Natalia guessed it was from the mark itself.

Solas grabbed her hand and aimed it toward the rift as well. She gritted her teeth, but she refused to cry out from the pain. She couldn’t move her hand; it was as if it was being magnetically pulled towards the rift, though the rest of her body was grounded to the earth.

Eventually the pull lessened and Natalia yanked her hand away as Ketoja did the same. The rift flared brightly for a moment, then disappeared completely. Natalia turned to Solas.

“Is that how we close it?” she asked, staring at her hand.

“Yes,” he replied, nodding. “My assumption was correct. It took less time for this one to close when both marks were feeding it.”

“Which means our chances of closing the rift are better than they were,” Cassandra said, almost approvingly.

They moved towards the path again, running at a fair clip. Natalia and Varric lagged further behind the others with their shorter legs, but both of them had enough stubbornness to compensate and help them keep up.

“So I never got a chance to ask you,” Varric said to Natalia. “Adaar says she’s not guilty. What about you? Did you do it?”

“I don’t remember what even happened,” she replied.

“Honestly, it’s like you both _want_ a premature execution,” he said with a sigh.

* * *

Ketoja, Solas, and Cassandra both skidded to a stop at the top of the ledge, staring up at the huge rift. Natalia and Varric were close behind.

“So… now what?” Natalia asked.

“We need to get down to the ground,” Cassandra said. “You should be able to open the rift from there.”

“Let’s go,” Ketoja said. Just then, Leliana and her agents came behind them.

“You made it! Thank the Maker,” she said. “What’s the plan?”

“We’ll take the mages to the rift,” Cassandra explained. “Leliana, get your men into position, in case something should get out.” The woman nodded before signalling to her men to follow her.

Natalia and Ketoja jogged behind Cassandra, Varric and Solas bringing up the rear. They maneuvered around huge boulders that had fallen from the side of the mountain.

“Do you see what I’m seeing, Seeker?” Varric asked.

“Red lyrium. Yes, Varric,” Cassandra replied shortly.

“But what’s it doing here?” Varric continued, his voice strained.

Natalia saw the poisonous-looking crystals and shuddered. Regular lyrium was bad enough; even being near this stuff was making her see shadows in the corner of her eye. She groaned quietly. “Let’s just get through here,” she said, trying to shake her head to clear it.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Ketoja guiding her through. She picked up her pace just a little to break the qunari’s grasp on her shoulder. “I’m fine,” she said quickly.

They finally got out of the debris field of red lyrium and took the stairs, which helped clear Natalia’s mind again. She prayed she wouldn’t have to deal with that stuff again.

As they hurried down the steps, an echoing voice rang through the air. _Help me_ , it cried out. _Help me_!

“That is Divine Justinia’s voice,” Cassandra said, aghast.

The voice tugged at some buried memory, trying to pull it out. There was another force, even stronger, keeping it out of her reach, though, and she was powerless to stop it.

“Do you feel it?” Ketoja asked, a hand on her head. “It’s familiar.” Natalia nodded.

“What’s going on here?” That was… her voice? But when had she said that?

_Natalia? What are you doing?_  And that was Ketoja’s voice. And then, _Get away from her!_

“Did you know each other before?” Cassandra asked.

“I… I don’t know,” Natalia stuttered. Ketoja looked just as confused.

They jumped over the ledge, landing hard on the gravel below. When she landed, Natalia looked up to see misty figures floating about, fluctuating between various degrees of solidity. She stepped forward, trying to get her bearings.

The figures solidified again, some of them into distinct shapes. They were in a room, or the memory of one, with the Divine suspended in midair by magic, a shapeless, black figure looming over her. _Prepare the sacrifice_ , it said. The voice sent chills of fear down Natalia’s spine and she shivered.

Double doors to their right opened and everyone turned to see Natalia running into the room. _What’s going on here?_ the phantom Natalia asked.

_Natalia? What are you doing?_ a phantom of Ketoja rushed in just then, her eyes widening as she saw the Divine. _Get away from her!_

_Kill the mages_ , the shadow ordered. Phantom Ketoja and Natalia backed away, Ketoja using her body to shield Natalia.

There was a burst of light and then the misty figures were gone. For a moment, Natalia could almost grasp the entire memory, identify who the shadow was, but then it was gone and she couldn’t even recollect what the phantoms had shown her.

“The Divine called out to you for help,” Cassandra observed. “Who was that with her?”

“I still don’t remember!” Natalia said in frustration, almost shouting.

“I can’t remember either,” Ketoja said, stepping up next to Natalia. “And right now it doesn’t matter; this rift needs to be closed.”

“How do we do that?” Natalia asked.

“If your mark can close the rifts, it might be able to open them as well,” Solas mused. “If you reopened it, you might be able to close it permanently this time. However, there’s likely something on the other side waiting to come out,” he added.

“That means demons,” Cassandra said. “Stand ready!” she called to the archers.

Natalia couldn’t think of any better plan. Solas seemed the only one who remotely had an idea on what was going on to begin with, after all. She followed Ketoja to the rift and fell into place beside her. They both aimed their hands at the rift and Natalia tried to focus her mark on the tear. Ketoja’s mark glowed first, but Natalia’s started soon after, both of them feeding the rift. It hummed with energy before flaring brightly. Natalia yanked her hand back with Ketoja and backed away quickly as she saw the Fade flash through the tear. It was eerily beautiful and terrifying for the one moment she saw it, before a huge pride demon took advantage of the gap and jumped out.

Cassandra raised her sword and yelled, “Now!” Archers rained arrows down upon the demon and Natalia took that as her signal to leap into action.

She hurled every spell she knew at it, searching her memories for the especially damaging ones. While she waited for her mana to recharge, she shot ice bolts at it.

She felt her hand twitch just as Cassandra said, “We need to strip it’s defenses!”

Ketoja waved towards her. “We can weaken it if we damage the rift,” she yelled, aiming her mark at it. Natalia did the same after a moment’s hesitation, hating the feeling of pain that was now starting to become familiar. She grunted, trying to suppress the urge to scream. Eventually she felt the pull on her hand lessen and she yanked it away the same time that Ketoja did.

It didn’t seal the rift, but she saw a flare of magic shoot out and hit the demon. It fell forward, breathing heavily, and everyone took advantage of it’s momentary weakness. Natalia shot up an ice wall at its feet, trying to freeze it to the ground. Curse demons and their lack of a working heart, she thought.

The battle raged on, Natalia and Ketoja occasionally pouring their marks into the tear, weakening the demon temporarily. It was going fairly well for them, until the demon lumbered over to Natalia and grabbed her before she could dodge it’s grasp.

It shook her violently, her head flopping around like a rag doll, before throwing her against one of the stone walls.

The next thing she remembered was Ketoja kneeling down next to her, her hands glowing green with healing energy. “There we go, I think I managed to fix the worst of the damage. Can you stand?” She helped Natalia up, supporting the human as her footing wobbled unsteadily. Eventually, her head stopped spinning and she felt like she could walk in a straight line.

“I’m fine,” she said, waving her off. “Go and help the others.” Taking a few more steps, she felt more secure in her balance and started to run towards the demon. She sent a barrage of ice blasts towards it, just as Cassandra came in with her sword and stabbed it right where a large patch of ice was, over its heart.

The demon fell, groaning, before it disintegrated and was pulled back into the Fade.

Natalia and Ketoja nodded at each other and aimed their marks once more at the tear. This time it felt different, more like it was trying to suck her into the Fade itself. It wasn’t just a pull on her hand, but her whole body, and Natalia was fighting to resist it.

_I don’t know if I can do this,_ she realized, panicking. She didn’t want to die. _I’ve fought too_ fucking _hard, this is not how I go out_. She grit her teeth against the pain and planted her feet, rooting them in the ground. “Try me,” she growled.

The pull wasn’t lessening like she expected it to, and Natalia felt a sense of dread as she wondered whether their energy would be enough. Just as she thought she had nothing left to give, the pull disappeared all at once and she dropped to the ground, the world fading to black again.


End file.
